


Raven Rising

by Closeted_Bookworm



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Animal Traits, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, Janus gettin' ready to defend his emotionally constipated bro, Mid-SvS Redux, Mild Blood, Mildly unsympathetic light sides, Shippy if you look hard enough, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26119480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Closeted_Bookworm/pseuds/Closeted_Bookworm
Summary: Logan needs a little bit (or a lot a bit) of help realizing he does indeed have feelings. Unfortunately, the others don't realize it either.One version of what may have happened in the mindscape in between when Logan dropped out and Janus took his place during the SvS Redux, as well as the aftermath of the video.
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders
Comments: 27
Kudos: 118





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This *was* a one shot... 
> 
> (formerly "Validation and Suppression")

Logan sank out of the living room, shaking off his pixelated form with a groan and flinging his notecards across the room. He sighed and went to pick them back up, already regretting the outburst. Sometimes the other sides evoked irrational thoughts within him, and it led to actions that did not align with his controlled demeanor. He supposed what he was experiencing right now could be classified as anger if it was any other side, but he was Logic. He wasn’t supposed to feel anything, no matter how much the other sides provoked him. 

He sat down at his desk, shuffling his papers for the video into a neat stack and feeding them one by one into the paper shredder. Watching his work be ripped into tiny pieces was oddly cathartic, like he was letting go of the illusion that he was needed for these silly emotional projects. Thomas’s mental state was not his responsibility. He was in charge of planning and logistics, not preposterous sentimental blather. 

It would feel nice to be included, though. Correction: it would justify the work he put into the videos if he were to be included. Historically, his input had been valuable, but the sides repeatedly ignored and shot down his ideas as if Remus had suggested them instead of him. If he proposed Thomas take a day off to rest his mental faculties to avoid overworking himself, then Roman would instead fill the calendar with an exhausting day with friends in an effort to cheer him up. If he voiced an opinion that Thomas should retire for the evening instead of watching a nightmare-inducing film, then he was called a killjoy and made to sit up with them. If he advocated for additional “me time” (as the other sides referred to it) by subtracting from the amount of time spent fussing over the minutiae of the latest script, then the others claimed he didn’t have his heart in the work. While this was true, as Patton was the heart in the group, he did have a work ethic that was equal to or even greater than that of Roman when it came to the channel, rendering the insult invalid. 

A knock at the door broke him out of his reverie, and he got up and went to answer it, fully expecting Virgil wanting to rant about his lack of role in the latest video again. Instead, he pulled it open to reveal a disheveled-looking Deceit looking down at his shoes. 

“Janus,” he acknowledged with a nod. He’d known the serpentine side’s name for several weeks now; they’d developed an unusual kinship due to their tendency to play devil’s advocate in debates, which had evolved into a fast friendship despite the other sides’ suspicion towards the “Dark Side.” 

“Logan,” the side greeted him in turn, twisting his hat in his hands. Logan opened the door and welcomed the other inside, and he gratefully came in and collapsed on the bed, closing his eyes in relief as the temperature regulated mattress Logan had designed cooled his overheated scales. 

“Running all the way here when you cannot thermoregulate was not advisable.”

“I don’t care, I wanted to get here fast,” He sat up and got his first good look at the logical side. “Are you crying?”

Logan reached up and touched his face, discovering that, yes, he did indeed have tears running down his cheeks. He hurried over to his desk and grabbed a tissue. “Ah. Thank you, I did not realize.”

“I wasn’t letting you know so you could hide it. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am fine. My body is having a regrettable physical response to chemicals in my brain.”

“Did the others brush you off again?”

“Yes, but that is not related to the influx of hormones.”

“Sure it is. I know you have emotions, Logan, the same as me. You should stop denying them, it’s not healthy. It’s okay to feel sad.”

“I do not ‘feel,’” Logan amended firmly. “I have occasional illogical thought processes.”

“Wrong,” said Janus, equally stubbornly. “That’s just what they’ve drilled into your head. They shouldn’t treat you the way they do.”

“They treat me in a way that correlates to their perception of the worth of my ideas. I would feel lied to if they acted any differently.”

“That’s another thing. They never listen to you! You’ve got evidence and research to back up the best ideas, but they act like anything not said in a ‘cool’ way doesn’t have any worth.”

“That is true. It is an area I am working to improve in.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have to. I’m all for self improvement, but making you change yourself to fit their expectations isn’t what friends should do.” Logan could see Janus was getting more agitated, and he tried to talk him down.

“Their opinions do not affect me.”

“Yes they do! You’re crying, for Pete’s sake. You act like everything just rolls right off, but I know it doesn’t, and they should know that too.” He got up and started brushing himself off, preparing for a change. “You know what, I’m going to go up there and give them what for.”

“Please do not. It would only worsen the situation. Everyone is already on edge.”

“I don’t care. They don’t get to throw you out like crap and get away with it.”

“Go up there if you want, but, I beg of you, do not bring my problems into it.”

“Ugh, fine. I won’t mention you if I can use your appearance to get in.”

“That is satisfactory. Here, let me give you the design we decided on for the theme.”

As he flipped through his sketchbook, hunting for the prototype of his information bubble design, Janus wrapped one arm around him. 

“Have you given any more thought to what we discussed the other day? We’d love to have you, and it’d make the fan theorists flip.”

Logan smiled bitterly as he tore out the page with the pattern. “Logic does not fall under Dark or Light. It is objective. To put it as bluntly as possible: it’s never gonna happen.”

Janus ruffled his hair and took the offered paper. “We both know that’s a lie, you’re as clearly on one side as I am. But if you were meant to be a Light Side forever, I’ll eat my hat.”

He took Logan’s hand and closed his eyes, the snakeskin peeling away as he adopted Logan’s paler skin tone and a pair of glasses constructed themselves from thin air, his cape folding itself into a necktie and collar as a wash of blue and black swirled over the fabric. 

“How’d I do?”

“Impeccable, as always. I would provide you with my prepared monologues, but I have unfortunately already shredded them.”

“Eh, I’ll just improv. I probably won’t keep up the charade for that long anyways. The dramatic reveal is always pretty effective in getting my point across. Do me a favor and keep an eye on Remus for a few minutes?” 

“As much as anyone can keep watch over the literal personification of thought.”

“Thanks. Last I saw him, he was raiding the pantry in the Others’ common room.”

Logan waved goodbye as Janus saluted and rose out of his bedroom, disappearing into the ceiling with a determined expression, then walked off in search of a certain trash demon. He steered clear of the other light sides’ domains, knowing they’d sense him enter and consequently reveal Janus to be an impostor, and soon arrived at the cracked and cobwebby door marking the entrance to the Others’ domain. No matter how many times Janus cleaned it, it remained resolutely decrepit, and none of the Light sides even cared to try their hand at it, even though Logan was all but certain Roman could manage it with a creative spell. 

As he passed under the doorframe, he shivered as a pleasant tingle ran through his skin, looking down to see a soft orange trying to creep unnoticed up the edge of his polo. He shook it off and grimaced as the navy returned, thoroughly blocking off any train of thought that might lead down that forbidden path as he stalked off in search of Remus. He was Logic, nothing else.


	2. Chapter 2

Janus arrived back in the mindscape with a smile on his face and a spring in his step, satisfied with the way the conversation had gone. Of course, he was going to have to make amends with Roman at some point, but Patton seemed to be mostly on his side, and Thomas was actually listening to him for once. As he made his way back to the Others’ side of the brain, he took a peek into Logan’s room, finding it empty. He was probably back in the darker side of the mind with Remus, then. 

He paused outside the door to Roman’s room, his grin fading as he realized that the creative side’s space was silent for the first time he could remember. Normally, Roman’s room was a constant whirlwind of snatches of Disney and Broadway rolling together in a joyful mess, the songs becoming more distinct based on the level of focus Roman was showing at the moment. If he was upset, he would play antique vinyls on a beautiful old gramophone Patton had dug up somewhere, and the mood of the music was a great indicator on whether or not you would be physically assaulted should you try to enter. Now, however, there was no music at all. He must be devastated. He’d have to come forward with an olive branch quickly before the side retreated too far into himself and Thomas became unproductive. 

He tiptoed carefully past the dark ebony wood of Virgil’s door in order to avoid having to talk to the anxious side, though the loud Panic at the Disco blasting from inside probably would drown out a car crash. He knew the side would be thoroughly annoyed that he hadn’t been there for the name reveal; even when they lived in the same part of the mindscape, Janus had kept his name a secret. Remus knew, of course, but that wasn’t fair, since Remus knew everything. 

He was probably lucky he hadn’t been outed to Thomas like Logan had, since Remus was famous for his lack of filter, to put it nicely. He wouldn’t name drop on purpose, though more for fear of what Janus would do to him than a desire to actually respect his privacy, but he had been known to let things slip in the past. Logan had learned Virgil’s name almost a full two months before the other Light Sides, because Remus accidentally used it in a rather creative and alliterative insult while ranting during a private conversation. Logan had been tactful enough to still act surprised when Virgil told them himself, but he later related the event to Janus, and ever since he’d lived in a mild state of fear that Remus would repeat the mistake. He was going to reveal himself on his own terms, just like he’d done from the beginning. 

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he passed Patton’s door and the gentle sound of a ukulele emanated from within, the telltale chords from “Recipe for Me” bringing back nostalgic memories even without the influence of the interior of Patton’s room. He’d never admit it to a certain side (cough, Roman, cough), but Janus loved that song so much that he’d learned it on the piano himself and often played it himself when he needed to get into a better mindset. 

He arrived at the door to the Other’s domain with a tutting noise and a shake of his head, summoning a slew of feather dusters to whisk away the majority of the cobwebs. He knew they’d be back, but it never stopped him from trying to get rid of them. There would have to be some serious systemic changes to the way sides were classified before they vanished permanently. He creaked open the door and ducked inside, an energizing shiver of electricity racing through his skin as he passed under the lintel. A gentle bioluminescent sheen radiated out over his scales as they prickled and settled, happy to be home. He headed towards the common area, the likely location of the last two sides left unaccounted for, noting with satisfaction that so far, nothing smelled like smoke. The last time he’d left for a video, Remus had gotten bored and decided arson would be an excellent use of time and resources.

He found the pair exactly where he’d expected them to be, on the couch in the living room. Logan was sitting upright and watching a nature documentary, though he didn’t seem to be paying very close attention to it, more focused on braiding meticulous cornrows into Remus’s hair. The typically destructive side was curled up and fast asleep with his head resting in Logan’s lap, empty chip containers littering the cushions around him. Janus walked in and collapsed into his usual armchair, waving a greeting to Logan, who nodded curtly in return before turning his gaze back to the latest row of braids. 

“How did the rest of the discussion go?” he asked quietly, pitching his voice lower so Remus would be less likely to wake up. 

“Okay. Roman sure is on one today, though. Patton and I left off on pretty good terms, Thomas is less confused, and the viewers are going to pitch a fit. How did wrangling this one go?”

“It was not difficult. I made Kraft mac-and-cheese with syrup, lured him in here with potato chips and the promise of a gory and promiscuous TV show, and braided his hair until he fell asleep.”

“What were you guys watching?” Janus said, intrigued. 

“This,” Logan explained, indicating the nature show. “They don’t omit the footage that would be deemed inappropriate or repulsive to the average viewer when observing animals, providing an excellent screenshot and basis for analysis of the ecosystem.”

“Ah, mating practices. He eats that stuff up.”

“Predator-prey relationships as well. Studying the hunting techniques is fascinating.”

“You two compliment each other ridiculously well. You’re the only one who can keep him under control, and you make it look effortless. It’s just exhausting for me.”

“I prefer to think of it as redirecting his energy as opposed to controlling it. He is Intrusive Thought, he cannot be controlled.”

“Either way, you’re a godsend. You should come more often, it’s rough being his babysitter 24/7. We could split manny privileges.”

“A ‘manny’ is a male caregiver, correct?”

“Yup, though only for kids. You’re learning, Specs.”

“Thank you.”

Remus stirred slightly, and Logan’s deftly flying fingers paused their work as the other side rubbed his eyes and let out a big yawn. As sometimes happened when he was tired, one of his shadowy octopus tentacles materialized and wrapped itself around Logan, knocking his glasses askew and causing him to let go of the strands of hair he was braiding. 

“Kindly untangle yourself, Remus, you are applying a touch more pressure to my chest cavity than is comfortable.”

“Don’t wanna,” the other side mumbled sleepily. Logan tried to extract himself from the clingy appendage, but wasn’t having any luck. Not much could make Remus let go when he’d latched onto something. A second tentacle fizzled into existence and suckered onto Logan’s legs, scooping him up and dangling him upside down in the air. 

Exasperated and rapidly turning a ruddy pink color as the blood rushed to his head, Logan raised a hand and swiped viciously at the shadowy limb. Remus squeaked and dropped him, and he landed on his back with a loud thump and a woosh of air. The Other side sat up, startled.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to let go, that hurt! What’d you do?”

Logan got to his feet, stretching his lower back and frowning. “I followed an instinct. That strategy should have been ineffective, though. You said it hurt?”

“Yeah, like you had claws.”

Janus perked up. “Logan, let me see your hand.”

“If you insist.” He presented the hand he’d struck with, revealing that he had long black talons in place of fingernails on one hand. He reeled back in surprise, then immediately shook it off and began studying them. “Most unusual. I have never seen this happen before. Janus, do you know what they might be a result of?”

The serpentine side ran a finger over one of the claws. “I’ve got a theory. You know that each of the sides is linked with an animal, right?”

“I was under the impression that was a trait exclusive to the Others. After all, Virgil relinquished the majority of his spider-like features after the transition started.”

“That’s what I thought too, until I saw Patton turn into a frog monster after you left today. I think maybe Light Sides have animals too.”

“You are insinuating that my new feature is associated with my animal counterpart.”

“Probably.”

“That seems plausible. Why would it only manifest now, though?”

“‘Cause you’re with us, dummy,” Remus giggled. “Monkey see, monkey do. Monkeys don’t have claws, right? Imagine if they did. They’re already vicious, think about what they could do with eagle talons.”

“It is possible prolonged exposure to this portion of the mindscape could expedite a transformation. Do you think I am developing the traits of an eagle?” Logan mused. “That would prove interesting.”

“No idea, but I bet you could look up what type of bird has these claws without too much trouble,” Janus suggested. 

“You’re lopsided,” Remus noted. 

“Yes. It is fortunate the talons are on my non-dominant hand.”

“Not just that. You’re standing funny.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re putting a bunch of weight on your left foot, like something’s squishing one side.”

Logan evaluated his change in posture with surprise. “So I am.” 

He tried to even out his weight distribution, but he still felt like his right side was heavier. “Strange. Well, I’m probably going to head back to my own room now.”

He turned to leave, but Janus stopped him. “Hold on a sec, Specs. Did you mess up your back when you fell?” He got up and ran a hand down Logan’s right shoulder blade, which looked swollen and larger than his left.

“I bet it’s a pus pocket,” Remus said with relish. “I wanna pop it.”

“It still feels muscled. That’s probably why your posture’s different. Does it hurt?”

“No. Truthfully, I did not even notice it until you pointed it out.”

“Maybe you should have Patton look at it?”

“If it does not resolve itself within two days, I will. I do not want to worry him otherwise since he was already irritated with me this morning during filming.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Keep an eye on your new talons too. Patton didn’t have the best reaction after his transformation.”

“I will.”

After Logan left, Janus turned back to Remus, who’s curious fingers were skittering over the half-finished cornrows with an awed expression on his face. 

“I’m worried about him,” he confessed.

“Then drag him back here by the hair and tie him down until he tells you what’s wrong.”

“Your advice on the matter is duly noted. Seriously, though. Patton’s froginess came out because of emotional conflict and anger, and now Logan’s animal side is showing up, plus he’s got whatever that weird thing on his back is.”

“Like I said, kidnap him. Or kidnap everyone else and force them to stop being mean to him.”

Janus chuckled. “That one I could get behind. Come over here, I’ll try and finish your hair.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't be the only one who really wants to see Remus with cornrows.


	3. Chapter 3

Logan slowly walked back to his room, the additional mass on his right side even more noticeable when he was moving. He reached over his shoulder and traced the ridge of his left shoulder, then his right, feeling the difference between his one clearly defined shoulder blade and the lumpier skin on his other side. 

As he walked past Virgil’s door, grimacing at the unreasonably loud music blaring from within, he clicked his talons together, marveling at the rock hard keratin. However, before he’d taken more than a half dozen steps past the anxious side’s room, the music abruptly cut off and the door opened. 

“Logan?” Virgil called.

He froze, his claws currently shielded by his body. He turned to face the other side, keeping his right hand out of sight. 

“What’s the matter with your back? It’s all misshapen.” 

“An accident with Remus,” he offered as explanation.

“You want me to grab Patton?”

“No, I am fine.”

“You want to come in for a minute?”

“I would rather not at the moment.”

“Please? I want to hear how the last video went. I have some Crofters and homemade bread up here from earlier, we can share.”

The offer of Crofters changed matters. “Only for a few minutes. I do have something to tell you, but you are under no circumstances allowed to overreact.”

Virgil raised an eyebrow. “That bad, huh?”

He brought out his right hand.

“Whoa. Get in here.”

Logan sighed and followed Virgil inside to the outer chamber of his room, the part where it was safe for the sides to spend time without being affected by the waves of anxiety from the inner core of the anxious side’s domain. The other side dug around in a drawer and pulled out the bread and jelly, ripping a few paper towels off a roll and sitting down cross-legged on the floor, patting the ground next to him. Logan helped himself to the snacks and plopped down on the ground, discovering quickly that it was much more difficult to hold a slice of bread with two inch talons. He managed, though, and after they’d both eaten half a piece Virgil started interrogating him about the video. Logan gave him what information he had, along with what Janus had told him about Patton turning into a frog and the possibility of all the sides having an animal link. He left out his and Janus’ conversation after he sank back into his room, however, and he did not elaborate about the lump on his back. 

“Holy cow. I can’t believe I missed all that. Deci- I mean Janus and I are going to have a talk later.” 

“Please make an effort to be cordial.”

“When have I ever been anything but an angel to him?”

Logan gave him a skeptical stare, and Virgil rolled his eyes. 

“Also, I would advise against interacting with Roman for at least forty-eight hours.” 

“So no different than my normal schedule, then.”

“He was more upset than usual by the most recent conversation.”

“His self-worth is so fragile. I’m glad you’re not like that, Specs.”

He frowned. “Please call me Logan.”

Virgil smirked. “Why, Specs?”

“Because Logan is the moniker I prefer and I am respectfully asking you to use that, not a nickname.”

“No need to go all encyclopedia on me. Sounds like you already filled your quota during today’s discussion anyways. Sometimes it’s a wonder we understand you at all.”

“I am working to reduce my use of technical jargon.”

“There you go again. Study your flashcards some more, Specs.”

Logan pressed his mouth into a line and reached for another piece of bread, flinching when he felt a twinge of pain in his back. “Was there anything else you wanted to know about today?”

“Did Thomas say anything about when we’d start work on the next video?”

“You will have to pose that question to Roman or Patton. I am considering taking a sideline role in the creative process after this video.” 

“Why?”

“My ideas do not hold merit in your eyes.”

“Some of them do. You just need to do a better job presenting them.”

“The phrasing of a pitch should not impact its worth.”

Virgil leaned back on his hands. “But it’s so much harder to listen when you’re being dull, Specs.”

Logan’s back pain flared up again, and he gritted his teeth and stood up. “Do not call me Specs.”

“Aw, are you leaving already?”

“Please return the Crofters to the kitchen when you are finished with it,” he said coldly.

“You sound almost angry right now. Are you okay?”

“I do not get angry. I am merely tired from the exertion of today,” The ache in his shoulder was worsening. He needed to get back to his room as fast as possible before it became impossible to stifle his gasps.

“Right, of course. You don’t feel emotions or whatever. Will I see you later at dinner?”

“Most likely.” He could get himself under control by then. He hurried out of the room, limping down the hallway as the pain kept radiating out from his back. He needed to get out of sight before he attracted someone else’s attention. 

Right as he was rushing past Roman’s door, an especially bad wave slashed through him, and he couldn’t hold back his cry of pain. He stumbled a few steps forward, then Roman’s door burst open, catching him in the side and knocking him to the floor. He landed badly on his hands, breathing hard, as the creative side stormed into the corridor. 

“Who’s yelling out here?” he blustered. 

“Sorry,” Logan mustered out through clenched teeth, getting back to his feet. He unconsciously balled his fists, and hissed in pain as his talons pierced his palm. 

Roman spun around in surprise, glaring at him. “Keep it down. It’s impossible to work with such incompetent, oblivious idiots bumbling around without any knowledge of other’s feelings.” He stomped back into his room, grumbling under his breath. Logan caught a single word, “robot.”

He felt tears start to gather in his eyes as the pain stepped up a notch. He turned and ran down the hallway, desperate to get back to his safe haven before he broke down completely. The agony was becoming unbearable. He needed to get away. He yanked open his door and slammed it shut, locking it firmly before sliding to the ground, tears running down his face. He tore off his shirt, hearing buttons pop as he carelessly shed the garment, but all he wanted was to relieve the horrible pent-up feeling in his shoulder. He pressed his back to the dark-stained mahogany in an effort to quell the pain, but the pressure only made it worse, so he laid face down in the shag carpeting, gasping as the agony rolled through him like an electric shock. 

There was an awful muffled ripping sound, and something exploded out of him. He screamed and tore at the rug, something big and hinged flopping wetly against his skin. Liquid ran down his sides, and he reached back to find that his fingers came away red.


	4. Chapter 4

Janus had just finished putting the elastic on another braid when he heard a yell echo from somewhere in the mindscape. Remus’s eyes shot open. 

“Pain?” he asked hopefully. “Gruesome injuries?”

“Who was that?”

“Beats me.”

“Poppycock. I can tell who’s lying, you can tell who’s hurting.”

“But it’s so much work,” he whined.

“No it’s not. Would you rather knock on every side’s door to find out instead?”

“Fine.”

Remus crossed his legs, stuck his fingers in his ears, and blew a loud raspberry, his pupils dilating to huge proportions for a moment before shrinking back down to normal, only to widen again as he processed the new information. 

“It’s Logan. Something bad.”

“Crap crap crap-”

Janus shoved Remus off his lap and ran towards the door, the other side close behind, looping a hair band around his fingers ready to fire should the need arise. They sprinted down the hallway, spotting Patton already jogging down the hallway ahead of them and nearly running smack into Virgil as he poked his head out of his door with a worried expression. Roman was nowhere to be seen.

“What’s going on?” Virgil called. “Was that Logan shouting?”

“Yes,” Janus yelled back. “Patton, did you grab the first aid kit?”

“No, should I?”

“Go get it, Remus says he’s in a lot of pain.”

Patton screeched to a halt. “What do you mean?”

“He can sense which sides are in pain. Logan was visiting us earlier and there was some weird stuff going on with him, and I think it got worse.”

“He’s in excruciating agony,” Remus added helpfully. 

Patton ran back in the direction of his room to get his doctor’s equipment, leaving Janus, Remus, and Virgil to discover that Logan had locked himself in. 

“Open up, Specs!” Virgil shouted. “We’re here to help you.”

“Don’t call me Specs!” a muted voice yelled tightly. Janus shot Virgil a venom filled stare.

Remus looked stunned. “He used a contraction. This is really, really not good.”

“Hey, Logan, we just need to know what happened, okay? We don’t want to see you hurt,” Janus said carefully. 

“I am not unlocking this door.”

Remus wasn’t about to accept that answer. He shoved the pair of them to the side and rammed the door with everything he had, making it shudder in its frame. Patton reappeared down the hallway with the medical supplies just as Remus nearly dislocated his shoulder charging it again, and Janus joined the effort, kicking at the door handle in an effort to break it. Virgil unhooked something from his belt and tripped Remus as he ran past again, making him fall onto his face away from the door, then pushed Janus out of the way and bent down to examine the keyhole at eye level. He held up the pin he’d pulled off his clothes to show the others, inserting it into the lock and wiggling it left and right with practiced ease. Remus rubbed his bruised nose and got back up, flicking the back of Virgil’s head as payback as the door clicked open. 

Patton caught up a moment later, toting the heavy-duty medical supply bag. Janus anxiously swung open the door, gasping in horror as he took in the blood soaked side curled in the fetal position on the ground, a single mottled black and dark rust-colored wing sprouting from a large, ragged gash on his back. Patton was on him in an instant, peppering him with questions as he got out gauze, antiseptic, and bandages while instructing Virgil to go fill a large bucket with water and bring it upstairs. Logan said nothing, simply staring blankly at a small puddle of blood next to him on the carpet. Patton soon noticed the puncture wounds on his hand from the talons and patched them up while waiting for the water to clean the large wound, covering them with sterile bandages so Logan could heal them himself without debris getting caught inside. 

Remus was examining Logan’s new limb with fascination, stroking the dark, waterlogged feathers with reverence and sniffing the reddish stains they left on his fingers. He almost licked them off, but was stopped by a glare from Janus.

The scaled side carefully knelt down beside Logan, taking the claw-free hand in his own and brushing the hair out of his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” he began as Patton eyed him warily. Even if they were on good terms at the moment, the Light side still didn’t fully trust him. “I shouldn’t have let you leave, I knew something was wrong.”

“You are the last person who should be apologizing,” Logan said softly.

“Why aren’t you healing yourself?” Patton anxiously asked him as Virgil re-entered with the requested bucket of water. “The wounds in your hand will seal up fine now, why haven’t you done it?”

“I do not feel the need to take care of myself at this moment in time.”

“Oh, Specs, honey, no,” Janus said, squeezing his friend’s hand. At the sound of the nickname, Virgil looked up in surprise, but Logan did not object and Virgil’s eyes took on a hurt look. “That’s not a good line of thinking. We’ve talked about this before.”

“I have repeatedly stated that my emotional well-being is not important to me.”

“But it’s important to us.”

“Logan doesn’t have emotions, he’s logic,” Virgil stated, confused. “It’s what he’s told us from day one.”

If stares could kill, the anxious side would have died on the spot. “Do you honestly think that he doesn’t feel? That your words have no impact? He’s not a walking computer!” Janus said angrily. “Are really you so oblivious that you haven’t noticed a thing?”

“Janus, I can fight my own battles.”

“You do it by throwing up a barricade and waiting it out like an emotional siege. They’re not getting away with it this time, you got seriously hurt because of them.”

“How is this our fault?” Patton interjected. “We just found him like this! You two were the last ones he spent time with, what makes you so innocent?”

“I’m starting to think we’re the only reason this hasn’t happened sooner, with the way you guys treat him. Patton, you of all people should know what’s going on. You turned into Franken-frog when you lost control of your emotions. Gee, what could possibly be happening to Logan?” 

The fatherly side paled. “How were we supposed to know?”

“Even if it didn’t bother him, which it does, you still should have treated him with respect.”

“Janus, please, I just want this ordeal to be over so I can go back to normal like Patton did,” Logan pleaded. 

“Yeah, you two should leave so we can take care of him,” Virgil directed, steel in his tone. “You’re just making things worse.” 

The serpentine side didn’t move, a slight fork appearing in his tongue as he let his anger run high. Remus made a face at Virgil and plopped down next to his friend, crossing his arms like a pouting two-year-old.

“Why should we be the ones to leave? It seems you two were the ones who did most of the damage here,” Janus declared. 

“Because we’re his real friends, not fake ones! Sure we messed up, but we still love him, right Specs?”

Logan’s expression darkened. “I disagree. It is them who are my real friends.” He pushed Patton away from him and hauled himself into a sitting position, his wing thumping limply against his back as he forced himself to his feet and pointed a shaking finger at Virgil. He swayed slightly, and the pair of Other sides jumped to their feet and supported him, one on each shoulder. In an extremely deliberate manner, he addressed the anxious side. “They care about me. You care about what I can provide for you. They love who I am. You love what you believe me to be. They have permission to call me Specs. You do _not_.”

His knees buckled, and he fell heavily into the arms of the two sides next to him, struggling to stand back up as the appendage on his back twitched wildly. Janus looped one of his arms around his neck, supporting the majority of his weight.

“Don’t try to stand any more, honey.” 

Remus took his other arm, and Logan relaxed in their support, looking satisfied about the shocked silence he’d stunned Virgil into. Patton was tearing up, and while normally that would be his cue to change his opinion to appease the sensitive side, today he wasn’t taking back his words for anyone in the world.


	5. Chapter 5

Remus looked almost as pleased with him as Logan was with himself, and his face was reddening with the colossal effort he was making to hold back his laughter. Virgil’s fury only grew as a giggle slipped out, and Patton trembled as the air around them grew darker. A single tear rolled down his cheek and plopped into the water bucket by his knee. Thunderous storm clouds were gathering in Virgil’s face and he bared his teeth at the trio, exposing his canines as they lengthened and sharpened into points. Ghostly shadows flickered behind him and Logan knew he needed to extricate them from this situation before Virgil lost control of himself. He'd only seen the anxious side's full spider form emerge on one or two occasions, but it had never ended happily. 

"Janus, we should leave."

"You're right, we should," he agreed, narrowing his eyes as Virgil stared daggers. Patton wouldn’t meet any of their gazes, as still as a statue as he watched the ripples in the bucket settle into soft peaks, then calm. 

“You’re not taking him with you,” Virgil growled menacingly, Patton whimpering at the deep layers warping his voice. 

“They are not taking me, I am leaving,” Logan asserted, his white-knuckled grip on Janus’ supporting shoulder his only indication of nerves and the pain he was in. “I will return when I am ready to apologize for the inconvenience and upset I have caused.”

“Why say sorry to them, Specs? They’re the ones doing you dirty,” Remus said brashly, stoking the fire. Virgil snarled, a third and fourth eye opening on his right cheek.

“Why does _he_ get to use your nickname?”

Remus winked and cheekily flipped Virgil off. 

“Remus, kindly do not antagonize him further. There is nothing to be gained from escalating this.”

“You made me mac-and-cheese. As your knight, I’ve gotta defend your honor.”

“ _You’re_ his knight?” a booming voice yelled from behind them. Logan flinched, but the two Other sides held their ground as Roman appeared, spluttering indignantly, in the doorway. “What on earth is going on here? Unhand him at once! Logan, what is that _thing_ on your back? Virgil, why is your face the color of an overripe plum?”

“We’re having a disagreement,” the anxious side rumbled, two more eyes appearing on his other cheek as silver light spiderwebbed across his arms. 

“We’re going,” Janus muttered, his yellow eye flashing. They tried to push past Roman, but the creative side planted his feet and blocked the doorway. Remus shot him in the forehead with the rubber band he was still carrying, and he yelped in shock, his expression hardening. In one fluid movement, he clocked his brother in the nose, swept Janus’ feet out from under him, and scooped Logan up in a bridal carry as his human crutches were forcibly removed. He shouted in pain as his wing was crushed awkwardly by Roman’s forearm, struggling against the other side’s iron grip as Janus scrambled up, forked tongue flickering agitatedly out of one corner of his mouth. Remus got to his feet, a trickle of blood running down his face from his nose and an angry expression that could rival Virgil’s. 

“Stop hurting him!” he yelled, charging towards his brother as his tentacles snapped into view beside him, but shining silver threads flew in from behind, ensnaring him in a sticky embrace before he could reach his friend. Virgil slowly started reeling him in as he thrashed wildly, all eight of the anxious side’s arachnid eyes open as a dark aura crackled around him. Panic flashed in Logan’s eyes.

“Roman! Put me down this instant!”

“I am rescuing you from this villainous kidnapping attempt! I may be impassioned and irritable at the moment, but I shall not abandon you in your time of need.”

“We are not the villains here,” Janus said furiously. “Can’t you see he’s in pain?”

“Silence, snake.”

In an act of desperation, Logan sunk his talons into Roman’s arm, tearing through the white fabric like shears and leaving four shallow puncture wounds behind. Roman gasped in pain and surprise and dropped him to the floor, where he lay shaking, his wing rumpled, aching, and even more blood soaked than before as the fall aggravated the gash on his back. Janus rushed to his side as Roman stood startled into silence, gaze fixed on his own injury. 

“Are you okay?” he murmured as the noise of a fight broke out behind them. 

“No,” Logan replied without hesitation. “But you need to extract Remus from the altercation. Virgil will try to obliterate him permanently, even if that is not possible.”

Janus looked over his shoulder to see Remus and Virgil engaged in a whirlwind of a battle, immaterial limbs tangled together as they tried to wrestle each other to the ground. Patton had retreated into the far corner of the room and was curled into a ball, the barest hints of green creeping up his fingertips. 

“Oh, we are not doing this twice in one day,” Janus said heatedly. “Patton! Pull yourself together and help me break them up!”

Some of the dazed fear lifted from his eyes and he made an effort to get to his feet as Janus advanced towards the pair, his own golden aura fizzing into view as he let go of some of his control. 

“Remus!” he yelled. “There is nothing to be won here!”

“But it’s just getting good!”

“Logan disagrees!”

“No more fighting,” Patton cut in, cautiously advancing towards the brawling sides with a calming hand out as he tried to regain his composure. Virgil, paying no attention to either of them, hissed and lunged for Remus’ throat with his fangs bared, but Remus blocked the attack with a tentacle, tearing bits of spider silk off of his arms and legs as he shot a pleading glance towards Janus. 

“I never get to fight him when he’s actually trying.”

“You’re going to be fighting me too if you don’t get your butt out of here now before he seriously hurts you.”

He heaved an over dramatic sigh. “You’re the worst.”

Remus kicked into high gear, launching a flurry of blows at the spidery side that smashed him into the wall, providing him with the chance to sprint for the door, shoving Roman for good measure as he high-tailed it for the Others’ domain. Virgil scuttled up the wall and to the ceiling on all fours, hell-bent on going after him, but was stopped by the sight of Patton frantically waving from below, the green still inching its way up towards his wrist. Two of his eyes blinked shut and he let himself down on a string from his wrist, rushing over to the fatherly side and grabbing his hand to examine it. Patton shied away from his electrifying aura, so he paused and took a deep breath, reducing its influence before turning his attention back to the olive coloring. 

“Rein it in Patton, I know I didn’t see it earlier but you don’t have to show me. Oh, just great, this is because of me, isn’t it?”

Patton grabbed him and yanked him into a hug, green fading back to tan as more of Virgil’s extra eyes disappeared. Janus made sure Virgil was calming down, then ran back over to Logan, who was gritting his teeth in pain and slowly working himself into a sitting position. As the serpentine side helped him sit up, his shimmering aura dying out and his forked tongue disappearing, Roman finally came back to his senses, slamming the door shut and fire igniting in his eyes.

“You lot better provide me with some answers on the double or I’m conjuring the Dragon Witch.”

“You want the short version? You guys are jerks, Remus was not helping matters, and everyone’s having a breakdown,” Janus said bitterly, trying to smooth some of the bent feathers on Logan’s back, heedless of the blood. 

“Please, Janus, let me explain it,” Logan interjected. “I had an unfortunate emotional overload, resulting in the appearance of the appendage currently causing me immense pain. They broke into my room to ‘save’ me, and differing opinions stemming from the status of our friendships ended in conflict.”

“Back up. Emotional overload?” Roman scoffed. “Like I’m going to buy that explanation. You wouldn’t know emotion if it bashed you over the head with a psychology textbook. How did that lying serpent convince you to defend him?”

“He is _not_ lying,” Janus spat. “If you weren’t such a hotheaded, narcissistic fool maybe you would have noticed earlier. Your precious, perfectly objective calculator gets hurt when you toss him aside like so much garbage, and he’s finally snapped. I say good for him. I’ve been telling him to stick up for himself for months.”

Roman was floored, flush rising in his cheeks. “Is this true?” he questioned Logan.

“Yes. I have always been able to experience emotion, I simply never considered it worthy of mention since it was not important to my role in the group.”

“Specs, I had no idea.”

“Do not refer to me as ‘Specs.’ That is a name reserved for friends,” He placed his hand in Janus’, who squeezed it gently.

“Friends? This Dark Side is your friend?”

“This Other Side, yes. For quite some time actually.”

“If I had known what was happening to you, I never would have said those things earlier-”

“As a matter of fact, I think you would have. Although hitting me with your door was likely unintentional, your resentful irrationality likely would have incited harsh words regardless of my reaction.”

“He hit you with his door?” Janus cut in.

“That is not important now.” A sudden wave of dizziness crashed over him, and he became acutely aware of how much blood he had probably lost at this point. “I would like to leave now. Please do not follow us.”

“Yeah, okay, let’s get you out of here,” Janus said as he helped him to his feet, supporting all of his weight as the world tilted on its axis and he limped towards the exit. 

“Logan, wait,” he heard Patton call. He looked back to see the other side crying again, a horribly remorseful look on his face as Virgil stood stoically beside him, the last of his aura dissipating. “I’m really sorry.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Patton.”


	6. Chapter 6

Logan sat in a pair of swim trunks in the bathroom of the Others’ living space, Janus carefully washing the blood from his back and wing as he soaked in the hot water. It felt nice to have the side running his fingers through the dense feathers, meticulously straightening the barbs that had been displaced. 

“You know, I thought your wing was black and brown, but now that it’s cleaner, I think it’s just black. Hang on one second, I want to try something.”

He got up and turned off the bathroom lights, his glowing scales illuminating the tiled room with a soft greenish light. Biting his lip and concentrating, he grew the glow until he was shining like a spotlight. The dazzling light played across Logan’s water-slick feathers beautifully, bringing out subtle hints of navy and violet. 

“Oh, Logan, you’re gorgeous.”

Logan craned his neck, peering over his shoulder as he tried to get a good view of the limb, a small smile spreading across his face for the first time since the wing sprouted. 

“I suppose it does look nice.”

“The understatement of the century,” He sat back down on the edge of the tub, dimming his glow so he was easier to look at as he scooped up another handful of water to pour over the wound on Logan’s back. 

“I’ve always found your bioluminescence fascinating.” 

“In a nerdy, sciency way?”

“Well, yes, but it also intrigues me how hard it is to stop looking at you. You are stunning.”

“I’m just the weird one who can’t fully disconnect from their animal side.”

“You cannot deny it is aesthetically pleasing. You are not allowed to dish out compliments and then refuse to accept any in return.”

“Do you think you’re ready to heal yourself yet?” Janus asked while rubbing his neck sheepishly, eager to change the subject. 

“Probably. Your evasion of the topic of praise was not missed, however.”

Janus cursed Logan’s perceptiveness, but the Light Side let the matter drop, standing up in the tub with one hand on the wall as he shook off some of the excess water. 

“Hey, watch where you’re spraying that. Do you want a towel?”

“No, thank you, I do not want lint trapped in my freshly healed wound.”

“Fair enough.”

Logan squinted his eyes and focused, sealing the punctures on his palm first, then moving his concentration to his back. The tear in the skin ran almost the whole length of his back, and he worked his way up from the bottom, efficiently mending the tissue into a smooth, scar-free patch. Janus watched with a critical eye, noting the excellent use of several healing techniques he had used himself on numerous occasions and perfected over the years. Remus in his earlier days was even more unruly than he was now, if that could be believed, and he’d gotten a lot of practice. 

“Better now?” he asked after the side had finished. Logan flexed his shoulder and slowly raised his new wing, marveling at the control he had now that moving it was not causing him pain. 

“I do believe I could fly if I had a second one,” he expressed. “Perhaps I could construct a working prosthetic. I can adjust my weight to make the force required feasible, and with some practice I could develop the strength and agility for it.”

“It’s too bad it’s presence is tied to your emotions. Do you think a matching one will sprout so you have a pair the next time you get mad?”

“I do not think I will grow another wing on my own. However, I do not think I will be losing the one I have now anytime soon.”

“What do you mean? It should go away eventually, right? Now that you’ve calmed down?”

“Patton transformed back after the worst of his emotional turmoil was over, but I have not. My new traits may be more similar to the ones you experience in that they are permanent once they appear.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Do not be. It is not your fault, and I rather like it, actually,” He gave it an experimental flap, sending a chaotic breeze racing around the bathroom. “I could do without the talons, however,” he amended, clicking them together.

“We could probably file them down so they’re less weapon-like and more functional.”

“I would like that.”

He climbed out of the tub, accepting the previously offered towel and beginning to dry himself off. Janus went to wait in the living room while Logan changed, settling into his armchair and keeping half an eye on Remus, who was thankfully asleep at the moment, tired from earlier. After a few minutes, his own eyes started to close as well, since he was more drained than usual after using his powers for an extended amount of time during the video. 

“What do you think?”

He jerked out of his doze to see Logan walking confidently through the door, subtle changes made to his usual attire. His tie was a deeper shade of blue, his polo was a dark, rich umber instead of black, and the logo on his shirt was now ringed with a thin band of orange. His ebony black wing was stretched proudly behind him, though he quickly tucked it neatly against his shoulder blade when he saw Janus staring.

“Logan, you look amazing. What prompted the wardrobe update?”

“None of my old clothes were structured to deal with a wing sprouting from my back. This shirt has a specialized zipper for that very reason.”

“Is there a reason for the brown and orange?”

“Like I declared earlier, you two are my real friends. This is where my loyalties lie. I was tired of the doorway trying to decide my colors for me.”

“Are you saying-”

“Not entirely. For example, I will still perform my duties as Thomas’ Logic. I will not join Remus in provoking or harming Thomas, and I will try to make amends with the Light Sides. But yes, I am accepting your offer to become part of the Others.”

“Logan, that’s awesome!” He ran over to Remus and shook him awake, nimbly dodging the tentacle that lashed out at him. “Remus, wake up, I’ve got news!”

“Goway.”

“Not a chance. You already napped today.”

“What do you want?” he grumbled, rubbing his eyes.

“Logan’s living here now.”

Remus sprang to his feet, instantly awake. “Really?” He dashed towards the logical side, barely stopping himself from tackling his friend to the floor with a wary glance at his wing. 

“Hug?” he begged.

“Fine.”

He was almost knocked off his feet after all by the bear hug Remus gave him, the side careful not to ruffle his newly cleaned feathers. Logan awkwardly hugged back, wrapping his wing around the other.

“Your feathers are so soft!” Remus exclaimed. “I thought they would be all stiff and prickly when they dried.”

“That is not the case.”

A loud banging echoed through the darker half of the mindscape, and Janus frowned.

“It sounds like we’ve got visitors.”

Logan gently pushed Remus out of the hug and the trio went to answer the door. Janus pulled it open just as Roman was about to start another round of pounding.

“Can we help you?” he asked coldly.

“Logan’s room is disappearing. What are you two doing to him in there?”

“Excellent, I did not expect it to start transitioning that fast,” Logan said appreciatively. “There is nothing to worry about, Roman.”

“What’s going on?”

“I am now one of the Others.”

“Are you crazy?”

“No, I am not.”

Horror, disgust, amazement, and confusion flitted across his face in rapid succession, his features finally settling on sadness.

“Oh.”

“Now that the issue is clarified, if you do not mind, I will come and talk to you when I am prepared to and not before then.”

Roman didn’t seem like he knew how to handle this dismissal. He was starting to wring his hands and mutter to himself as he hesitantly turned away and headed back the way he came.

“Virgil is not going to take this well,” they heard. 

“Good luck telling him!” Remus yelled in goodbye as Janus studied the entryway outside their realm. He stepped out for a moment, Logan following him. 

“There’s less cobwebs out here now.”

“So there are.”

“Aww, less of them? Bummer. Creepy crawlies and clingy threads, mortal enemies of the heart-”

“You can say whatever you want, buddy, but I’m counting this as a win.”

“I concur.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, guys, gals, and non-binary pals! Comments would be great if you can leave one.


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